Environment (Waste Management)

HB 5151 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to submit a report by January 15, 2027, detailing recommendations from the state's latest waste characterization study. The report must include proposals for extended producer responsibility programs (covering packaging, products, and construction debris) and suggestions for expanding which items are designated as recyclable for separation at the source. It also requires draft language for any new laws needed to implement these recommendations. This bill directly affects state environmental agencies and future policy decisions, not current regulations or businesses.

HB 5152 modifies rules for open burning to prevent wildfires. It allows residential brush burning on private property with a local permit, but prohibits it during high fire danger, poor air quality, or near forests within 100 feet. Municipal landfills, transfer stations, and recycling centers can burn brush up to six times yearly with fire marshal approval and commissioner review, but must ban burning leaves, demolition waste, or other solid waste. The bill also adds new permitted uses like agricultural cleanup after disasters and wildlife habitat management, while requiring local officials to be certified and setting fees for permits. These changes directly affect homeowners, municipalities, and fire officials managing burn permits.